Hank Linderman

Running for United States Representative in Congress Kentucky 2nd District

Age: 65 Party: Democrat

Relevant experience: My lifelong career experience as a working musician and recording engineer has provided me with the skills required to collaborate effectively. I’m willing to engage in reasonable discourse in order to find effective solutions for the serious problems we face together.

What is your platform?

I’m running for Congress because what they’re doing in Washington isn’t working. It’s time for a change. I care about these issues for Kentucky: 1. Healthcare for all including protecting pre-existing condition coverage. 2. Better jobs and livable wages for American workers. 3. Better education and training. 4. Immediate solutions to the opioid crisis. 5. Protecting social security and medicare. 6. Comprehensive medical marijuana reform. 7. Providing New opportunities in clean energy. 8. Rural broadband for internet access. 9. Protecting funding for the Arts.

Discourse and deliberation have disappeared from our political process. While it is fine to disagree, it’s time for all Americans to dial down the rhetoric and speak more civilly to each other. No single political point of view can deliver all the answers. True collaboration is the only effective way forward. So let’s work together to improve our 2nd District, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and our Great Nation.

If elected, what would be your top priorities?

1. Health Care For All

Health care in America costs nearly19% of our GDP, and is on track to increase to 26% or more by 2040. That’s more than ANY other developed country in the world. I support Health Care for All that includes mental, dental and vision. I would support the current proposed HR 676, the Expanded and Improved Medicare for all Act, which comes closest to fulfilling this goal.

Our current system is too expensive, too complex and focused on the wrong goals.

What we need is a health care system that is much easier to navigate, that is focused on prevention and cure as opposed to treatment and served to a greater degree by non-profit providers. This will lead to better outcomes – longer life expectancy, lower infant mortality and healthier citizens.

I will protect your right to have your family members’ pre-existing conditions covered even if you change insurance policies or companies.

2. Create Jobs with Livable Wages

Income and wealth inequality in America has increased to levels not seen since the Great Depression. It is the root of many of the problems we face in the United States.

American workers must earn a living wage. I support increased prosperity for those who work, beginning with increasing the minimum wage to $15.

The recent Republican $1.5 trillion tax bill will add more than $1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, mostly to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans and corporations. This is borrowed money that our children and grandchildren will have to pay back.

Less than one-third of the tax cut went to those with middle and lower incomes. This means that the tax cut could have been a small business and middle / lower income tax cut only, without increasing our national debt.

I will work to overturn the $1 trillion tax cut the Republicans gave to people and corporations earning over $500,000 a year.

3. Better Education Means Better Jobs

The key to better jobs at higher wages is better education and training. College and other higher education has never been more expensive than it is today, and the average student loan debt is $26,000. The financing of higher education has become predatory. The government should not profit from student loans.

By law, corporations can get rid of debt through bankruptcy, students cannot. This is just one more example of special interests getting Congress to protect them and not ordinary people.

I will stand against the all-out assault on public education we have seen in Kentucky. Our teachers, administrators and school personnel are committed to giving our elementary and secondary students the education they need to succeed in life and I am on their side.

I am opposed to Charter Schools.